Governor Appoints Local Educator to Child Care Council

Dr. Paulette Harris, Cree Walker Professor of Education, recently received a board appointment from Gov. Roy Barnes to the Georgia Child Care Council.

The 15-member council distributes federal grants allocated to Georgia to increase the availability, affordability, and quality of early childhood and school age care. The council is also responsible for developing the annual Georgia child care plan, among its many other requirements.

Primary considerations for the council include safety, health, education, and family security, she said. “In truth they have a wide agenda, on everything in Georgia that has to do with children,” Dr. Harris said.

The two-year appointment carries with it an important role in addressing children’s issues.

“I’m delighted. I think there is so much we can do to improve child care needs in Georgia, and it’s wonderful to have the opportunity to address needs on that agenda, she said.”

Her role will be to coordinate what is going on in terms of children’s issues, especially what can be done through chambers of commerce, she said.

Dr. Harris was nominated for the council position as a result of past volunteer work. She was previously elected as the state chair of Adults and Literacy of the International Reading Association.